Jo Ann's Recipes from Honduras (in no particular order)
Jo Ann's Bread Recipe
1. In a very large container with a loose fitting lid, place:
12 cups flour
3 Tablespoons yeast
2.5 Tablespoons salt (better to use sea or kosher salt)
6 cups water
2. Mix ingredients together. The dough should be fairly wet but not
too wet, it’s not as dry as normal bread dough. You should be able to
mix it easily with a large spoon. If it’s too dry, add a little water.
Add flour if it seems too wet.
3. Let the dough sit out for at least three hours. It will rise a
lot. After 3 hours (or as long as you like) stir it down and put it in
the refrigerator until you want to use it. Don't try to use it right
away. It needs at least 4 hours in the fridge, better overnight.
TO USE:
1. On a smooth wooden cutting board or pizza paddle, put a handful of
cornmeal.
2. Grab a large handful of dough and pull the outside down from the
top to the bottom (they call this cloaking the bread--you are
basically pulling the outside over the inside from the top. Makes it a
little smoother but don't worry about it, it’s not a big deal. ) Put
the round blob of dough on the cutting board. Let it sit for 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, place a small metal pan in the bottom of your
oven and a pizza stone or cookie sheet on the top shelf. Turn the oven
on to 425 degrees. Wait 20 more minutes.
4. Take your dough and loosen it in case it’s stuck to your
cutting board, then quickly slide it (shaking helps) on to the cookie
sheet or pizza stone. This can be a little tricky if your dough is too
wet. Kurt has dumped it upside down in desperation and the bread has
turned out fine.
5. Quickly pour 1 cup water into the metal pan. It will hiss and
steam. Quickly shut the door.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from
oven and let cool on a rack.
7. Tastes better if you let it cool before eating.
If it doesn't turn out like you remember the first time, try again.
You will get it, I promise. And once you do, it’s really easy!
Corn Bread
Mix together:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
½ cup dry milk powder (optional)
Make a well in the middle and add:
2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
¼ cup oil or melted margarine
Stir just until smooth (that's important to mix it a lot and just use a spoon). Pour in
square pan or double the recipe for a 9x13. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes and make sure
your oven is all the way hot before you put it in.
Chicken Chili
Heat 3 Tbsp. of oil.
Saute the following for 5 minutes:
1 ½ cups onion
1 cup green pepper
1 jalapeno
3 cloves garlic
Add and cook two more minutes:
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. oregano
Add:
4 cups raw chopped chicken
1 cup water
½ tsp. red pepper
12 oz. bottle chili sauce (I never have that so I add some sweet pickle juice but you
could use a little vinegar and sugar too)
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
14 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 can chicken broth (or a couple boullion cubes in water)
Simmer 20 minutes, then add:
1 16 oz. can Northern white beans
Heat 5 more minutes and serve.
Lemon Cake
Combine in small bowl:
2 cups flour
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
In another bowl beat till fluffy:
2/3 cup margarine
Add and beat:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel
1 ½ tsp. grated lemon peel
Add 3 eggs one at a time, beating after each one
Take turns adding:
2/3 cup milk
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
and the dry ingredients you have in the other bowl (until everything is gone)
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Lemon Filling
Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and a dash salt. Stir in 3/4 cup cold water.
Add two beaten egg yolks,
1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel and 3 Tbsp. lemon juice. Cook and stir until bubbly. Cook
1 more minute.
If you make two round layers you put the lemon in between and powdered sugar
frosting with lemon on top. If it's a 9X13 I just put the lemon filling on top and spoon
some frosting over it. A little messy but it works.
Oatmeal Cake
Combine and let stand for 20 minutes: 1 cup quick oatmeal and 1 ¼ cup boiling water.
Cream together until fluffy:
½ cup margarine or butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Add oatmeal mixture and beat well.
Sift together:
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes
When it's done, carefully spread the following topping on and broil (watch it the
whole time because it always burns the second you take your eyes off it)
Coconut Topping:
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup margarine
¼ cup milk
½ cup chopped nuts
1 cup coconut
Mix all together and spread on hot cake
Broil 2-4 minutes
Carrot Cake
Mix together:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Add and beat 2 minutes:
1cup oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 3 oz package cream cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
Chicken Enchiladas
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup green pepper
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 cups cooked chicken
1 4 oz. can green chilli peppers
3 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup flour
1 tsp coriander
¾ tsp. salt
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 ½ cups Montery Jack cheese
12 6 inch tortillas
In a large sauce pan cook onions and green pepper in the
2 Tbsp. butter till tender. Combine onion mixture in a bowl with chopped chicken
and green chilli peppers. Set aside.
For sauce, in the same saucepan melt 3 Tbsp. butter. Stir in flour, coriander and salt.
Stir in chicken broth all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir
1 to 2 minutes more. (There. You just made white sauce and you can use it for all
kinds of things whenever recipe calls for a can of nasty cream of something soup. Just
vary the spices). Anyway, Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and ½ cup of the
cheese. Stir ½ cup of the sauce into the chicken mixture. Dip each tortilla into
remaining sauce to soften. Fill each with out ¼ cup of the chicken mixture. Roll up.
Arrange rolls in a 9X13 pan. Pour remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with remaining
cheese. Bake uncovered in a 350 oven for 25 minutes or till bubbly. Serves 6.
Cold Broccoli Salad
Take a two or three bunches of broccoli, chop half a good sized onion, some raisins
and some fried bacon (optional), and put it in a bowl. In another bowl mix 1/3 cup oil,
1/3 cup vinegar, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. celery seed, 1 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. salt. Pour it
over top and let it marinate for a few hours or so. Oh, and sunflower seeds are really
good sprinkled on just before you serve it.
Pesto
3-4 cups basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
little salt and pepper
½ cup olive oil (or part lemon juice)
½ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup walnuts
Grind basil, parmesan, walnuts and garlic in food processor till well ground, then add
oil slowly. Store in refrigerator up to two months.
Vegetable Lasagna
Substitute roasted vegetables for meat in whatever recipe for lasagne (try the box).
Use eggplant, sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, artichokes, squash.
Chunky Granola
Bake in oven 6 cups of oatmeal.
Stir in:
½ cup sunflower seeds or nuts
½ cup coconut
½ cup wheat germ
½ cup powdered milk
Mix:
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
Stir until thoroughly coated. Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring every 3-5 minutes until
uniformly golden. Do not overbake. Press down to make it chunky.
Groundnut Stew
2 onions
10 small tomatoes, chopped
2 bunches kale, shredded
5 cups veggie stock
Chili powder to taste
1 cup peanut butter (you can add as much as you like)
Saute two onions until they're nice and soft (do that over fairly low heat so they don't
brown), then add chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes more. Add 5 cups
vegetable stock or water. Add kale and peanut butter. Add chili powder and salt to
taste. Cook 15 minutes or so until it tastes done. Serve with rice.
Tahini Soup
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion finely chopped
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
5 cups veggie stock
12 ounces potatoes
15 oz. can garbanzos (chick peas)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2/3 cup heavy cream
6 Tbsp. tahini (ground sesame paste)
7 oz. spinach, shredded
Salt, pepper, chili powder
Heat olive oil in large, heavy pan. Add garlic and onion and cook over medium heat,
stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the cumin and coriander and cook
for 1 more minute, then add stock. Add the potatoes. Bring to a boil, lower heat and
simmer 10 minutes. Add chickpeas (drained) and simmer 5 minutes more. Mix
cornstarch, cream and tahini in a bowl. Stir in more seasonings and the spinach. Bring
to a boil, stirring constantly, then simmer for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper
and serve.
Spicy Peanut Soup
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. chili powder
2 red bell peppers, chopped
8 oz. potatoes, finely chopped
8 oz. carrots, finely chopped
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
4 cups veggie stock
2/3 cup fresh corn kernels (scrape them off the cob)
Chopped peanuts for garnish
Saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in chili powder and cook one more minute. Add
peppers, carrots, potatoes and celery; cook 4 minutes. Add stock, peanut butter, and
corn, season to taste and cook 20 minutes until veggies are tender.
Oatmeal Bars
4.5 cups oatmeal
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
Mix this together well and pat into 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until just
beginning to brown around edges. Melt one cup chocolate chips, mix with one cup
peanut butter, and top the bars.